NC State DT KaTron Evans met with the media to discuss his journey, what it has been like playing for NC State, and much more!
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the full press conference!
On being able to play...
It's a blessing. You sit at home every day, and you come here to work out not knowing the outcome, not knowing the situation. It was scary at first, just coming to work out every day and giving my all in workouts. It was like, it might all have been for nothing, but we eventually got it. I'm just glad to be here.
What was that news like when they told you that you could go to UVA?
So, when I first found out about the UVA game, we were eating. I got a call from my lawyer, and she told me about it. The whole team just jumped up and celebrated with me. So it felt special. It felt like I was needed. Once they found out about the whole year, all the coaches texted me congratulating me. So, it just felt great.
How much can you tell us about the settlement and those negotiations? Can you tell us?
I can't.
What was it like to get out there on the field on Friday in front of the Carter-Finley fans?
It was different. I played at Marshall last year, and my head coach there was the coordinator here, Tony Gibson. We had a bunch of players who had transferred from NC State, and they just told me about the atmosphere and what things were like. I never believed it, and actually being in it is completely different than what I thought. It's electric. It's electric.
I'm sad that the storm messed it up a little, but it was still electric. Even after the storms, many fans still stayed and supported us, which showed their love for us and the program.
You talked about not knowing whether you would play. It was scary. How did you prepare yourself for this moment while still staying balanced?
Mainly Coach Thunder. He and I have a great relationship. We talk all the time. He'll pull me to the side and always tell me, "God works in mysterious ways. He put me here for a reason. He didn't bring me this far to leave me."
Coach Thunder stuck with me every day and just pushed me to go hard. I think at one point it did get hard. We were going through the appeal process, and when the final appeal actually got denied, it was kind of like, "Ah."
Then I couldn't practice or anything, so I had to do work on the side by myself. I missed all of fall camp. I really didn't know what to expect. So, yeah, it felt like it was getting hard to be honest. I just wanted to play football, and it took a while, but I'm still just glad to be here.
Was there an adjustment period since you missed fall camp? Once you were cleared, did you have to catch up to everything mentally and physically?
Yeah. I was doing extra conditioning, but nothing can prepare you for being in football shape. I was out there doing conditioning, but when you actually get in the game, it's different. I was tired by my second play because I hadn't been doing anything in football.
Practice was an easy adjustment because it was nothing I hadn't seen before. It was, I guess you could say, more reps on the body. But they took care of me. That was my first day getting back, so they eased me into it.
On the younger players stepping up...
Yeah, I told JoJo Victor this. JoJo is probably the most polished freshman I've seen in my time in college football. JoJo is a great player. JoJo does some great things.
As for OJ (Omarion Abraham), OJ is the same. OJ is gritty. He plays with an edge. OJ is different.
About his former coach at UNC Charlotte...
I played at UNC Charlotte for a year, and my D-line coach there was also my high school coach. Once I got approved, he texted me, "God loves you." After he texted me that, it just stuck with me.
He and I don't talk as often as we used to, but just the fact that he still cared means he definitely holds a special place in my heart.
Coach Doeren submitted a lengthy statement to the court in support of you and explaining why you should play. What did that mean to you?
It just goes to show that he cares. It goes to show that my position was needed here. It really just shows that they kept their word.
They promised me during the recruitment process that they would fight for me to get this year, and no other school really promised to fight for me the way Coach Doeren did. He kept his word on everything he said.
What did you learn about yourself through this process?
I'd say my relationship with God the most because it took a lot of prayer. I was praying and praying and praying, and it still wasn't going my way. So it took me keeping the faith and continuing to pray. Eventually, it happened.
Does having that support from Coach Doeren and the staff help you carry through a game/practice when you’re tired?
Yeah, definitely. I think what kind of helped me the most is that I live three hours from here. I'm from Norfolk, Virginia. That's my hometown. This is the closest I've ever been to home while away at school.
My mom can come to games now that it's closer. That was kind of my motivation, knowing that my mom was in the stands, able to see me. It's something I've been going for a while.
